"Oh, Ukraine? THAT'S interesting . . ." : On what not to stay to abroad teachers/students

My students seem to like Americans, but they unanimously singled out a single American attribute they hate.

"When I greet Americans, they always say 'hello, how are you?'," said a 2nd year english student of mine. "And then they just walk away without waiting for an answer. If you didn't want to know, why did you ask?"

Ouch, I thought. I wanted to object with a reason, but he was right. How superficial. It seems I get a lot of superficiality from Americans about world issues these days, in fact, about anything not directly related to themselves. 

My roommate and I have a running joke about Americans we talk to when we come back from traveling and living abroad in Ukraine. We might be at a party, a family get-together or some sort of social function, but inevitably people ask: "What are you doing these days?" 

Depending on who you're talking to, they may be positive and supportive or rather skeptical and cynical of your accomplishments and dreams. Or, if they are in the group I'm singling out, they're really not that interested in other people.

"Well, I'm teaching/studying abroad, in Such and Such country overseas," you might say.

"So, how's that stuff working out for you, y'know, over there?" says the ignoramus. 

"It's great . . . . I really like these people and this country, I've learned a-" 

"Well, that's interesting. You have fun with that," as they gulp the last of their beer and duck out of a potentially boring conversation.

I don't mean to pick on my fellow Americans. In fact, I've never felt prouder to be an American than I do now. However, we have earned a very deserving reputation around the rest of the world as having great influence, but little to no awareness. 

I applaud projects like National Geographic Glimpse and STA travel for their efforts to expose Americans to more cultures and the rest of the world. I don't expect Americans to know where Ukraine is or to even know most countries in Europe. We just don't interact with them enough to make it necessary. 

It's not the lack of knowledge that concerns me, it's the unwillingness. A fool is someone who acts stupidly and doesn't mind. Ignorance doesn't bother me, what bugs me is willing ignorance.

It drives me crazy when people know they could learn more but choose not to because it impinges on their lifestyle. That's a fool. 

So when someone comes back from a potentially enlightening experience in their life, either serving our country abroad as a soldier, from working in a humbling environment with the poor and sick, or from a paradigm-shifting travel experience, don't say "well, we just don't know how lucky we have it," and change the subject. Ask them about how they feel. Take an interest in someone else's life and what they are doing. They could be struggling with the greatest lessons and experiences of their  waking lives. 

Who knows? Both of you might learn something.